Dewinged
Staff

Reviews 170
Soundoffs 167
News Articles 23
Band Edits + Tags 272
Album Edits 1,063

Album Ratings 548
Objectivity 66%

Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70

Review Comments 32,020

 Lists
03.15.24 Deweekly: March 15th to March 21st03.08.24 Deweekly: March 8th to March 14th
03.04.24 Deweekly: March 1st to March 7th03.01.24 Deweekly: February 23th to February 29t
02.16.24 Deweekly: February 16th to February 22n02.09.24 Deweekly: February 9th to February 15th
02.02.24 Deweekly: February 2nd to February 8th01.30.24 10 Albums of 1950
01.26.24 Deweekly: January 26th to February 1st01.23.24 10 Albums of 1965
01.19.24 Deweekly: January 19th to 25th01.12.24 Deweekly: January 12th to 18th
01.10.24 10 albums of 196401.04.24 Deweekly: January 1st to 10th
12.27.23 Dewi's 2023: A Year in Review 12.26.23 10 albums of 1963
12.21.23 10 albums of 196212.18.23 10 albums of 1961
More »

Deweekly: January 1st to 10th

My wife asked me a couple of days ago: "What are your resolutions for this year 2024?" I stopped for a moment, and I felt the Void speaking back to me, my eyes turned upside down, my brain veins started pumping heavily and blood started dripping from my nose and ears. Then I answered: "My resolution is to listen to 1300 new releases in 2024". Believe it or not, we're still married. Rules / FAQ in the comments.
1Dunwich Ritual
The Weird Tapes Sessions


Jawbreaker Records // Speed Metal

Dunwich Ritual are a French speed metal four piece that have just signed with Swedish label Jawbreaker Records. The label has released their back catalogue (three demos, I believe) on this sort of compilation. The production is rough (they are demos after all), and the execution a bit sloppy at times, but there's definitely potential here, If you're into bands like Smoulder, you'll dig this.

Highlight: Dunwich Ritual

https://jawbreakerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-weird-tapes-sessions
2Black Sky Giant
The Red Chariot


Self released // Stoner Rock

Sixth album from this one-man project from Argentina (I think they are a band now?). They also honour that peculiar tradition of releasing albums yearly and on January 1st or close, so even if I didn't know they were putting out a new one, I was not surprised when I saw it on BC. Instrumental stoner with a spacey vibe, nothing revolutionary but it's always a good time. This new one has a bit more of a gothic post punk influence, don't really know why.

Highlight: A Timeless Oracle

https://blackskygiant.bandcamp.com/album/the-red-chariot
3Panzerwar
Pale Whispers Of A Writhing Moon


Goatsword Studios // Black Metal

One man project from this Norwegian settled in Canada who spawned a total of 14 releases between splits, EPS and long plays since the project's inception in 2019. This has the right amount of rawness and adds a few synths and samples here and there. And of course, stars with a storm...

Highlight: Cold Steel Splits Warm Skin

https://panzerwar.bandcamp.com/album/pale-whispers-of-a-writhing-moon
4Katia Krow
Whispers From The Bloc Obscure


Self released // Drone / Ambient

Solo project of Odi Suood, from Dubai. I remember hearing their release from 2021, I think that was the first release under this new moniker. Before they used to release music as Odi, leaning more towards IDM. It's soothing and a nice palate cleanser in between metal albums.

Highlight: Wilt in Jade

https://katiakrow.bandcamp.com/album/whispers-from-the-bloc-obscure
5The Game and Big Hit
Paisley Dreams


Surf Club / STB // Hip Hop

Unexpected surprise to be honest. Of the five albums I checked today this was the one I enjoyed the most. Produced by Hit-Boy and featuring West Coast veteran The Game and Hit-Boy 's own pops, Big Hit, this is supposed to be the biggest release of this week if numbers of ratings are meant to be trusted. I'm still a hip hop pleb, meaning I know almost nothing of the genre so can't really judge the bars, the flow, etc, but I did enjoy the bases and Hit-Boy's production on this.

Highlight: Bang Freestyle

https://thegameofficial.bandcamp.com/album/paisley-dreams-explicit
6Sprints
Letter to Self


*** ALBUM OF THE WEEK ***

City Slang // Punk / Alternative Rock

The singles got me mildly hyped about this one. "Letter to Self" is the debut album of Dublin's garage punk four-piece Sprints. The singles do sound great in context but the album suffers a bit from lack of variety. Karla's vocals are the strong point of this album. She has this visceral singing style that reminds me of someone... that I can't recall right now. Production is neat and this debut it's a great starting point for them. Very curious to see where they go from here.

Highlight: Cathedral

https://sprintsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/letter-to-self
7Svdestada
Candela


Gatoencerrado / Svdestada // Spanish Blackened Neocrust

Or so their bandcamp says. Third full length from this atmoblack post hardcore band from Madrid (Spain). Definitely worth checking if you like bands like Joliette (they also sing, well, shout in Spanish). The cover art sold me on this and they bring a very dark Spanish folklore aesthetic that I think works great with their music. I immediately thought of fellow staffer Marsbro when I heard this.

Highlight: Sinvivir

https://svdestada.bandcamp.com/album/candela
8Diabolic Oath / Aberration
Divinations


Sentient Ruin Laboratories // Death Metal

First release from one of my favorite labels and oh boy, it's a trip. Aberration (not to confuse with the other 12 Aberrations out there) features members of Nothingness, who you might remember from putting out a total ripper of an album just last year and the bass player/vocalist of Suffering Hour. On the other hand, Diabolic Oath I have no idea who they are or where they come from but you might have heard their first album in 2020 (I haven't, but I shall). This is a split of two tracks that harbingers both bands' new releases this year so be prepared.

Highlight: Well there's two tracks and I like them both

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/divinations
9Kinoteki
Faith and the Vessel


The Tabula Rasa Record Company // Drum & Bass / Ambient House

I guess you all know this one judging from the comments on the January releases post in the staff blog, but yeah, New York producer doing bouncy, glitchy, frantic, electronic wizardry. Pretty much not my comfort zone but I did enjoy a first pass. I may return to a couple of tracks but the whole album was a bit overburdening for me.

Highlight: Foreverfaith

https://kinoteki.bandcamp.com/album/faith-and-the-vessel
10Shamael
Il Suono di Mille Orchestre Part II


Self released // Funeral Doom

Exactly one year ago, Raffaele Galasso, the man behind this project and many others, released the first part of "Il Suono di Mille Orchestre", which was his second album under this moniker. At the time it didn't occur to me but with this second part, I couldn't stop thinking about Mizmor almost the entire time. Not that it's a bad thing, and while Mizmor might diverge into black metal blast beats more often than not, their vocal approach sounds quite similar. Shamael sticks to the funeral doom tag religiously though, adding acoustic passages that serve as beacons in this otherwise very dark and oppressing album.

Highlight: Pietas

https://shamael1.bandcamp.com/album/il-suono-di-mille-orchestre-parte-i
11Good NightOwl
Belief


Self released // Progressive Rock / Art Rock

Daniel Cupps is a multi-everything composer and producer from Philadelphia with 13 plus albums under the name of Good NightOwl plus different credits in other bands and even in TV media. I've never heard the music of Good NightOwl until now but it seems this new album is quite the departure from his previous recordings. Think Leprous with a bit of Steven Wilson or even far reaching a bit of Yes and you'll get the idea.

Highlight: What They're Hiding

https://goodnightowl.bandcamp.com/album/belief
12Rejoice (USA-OH)
All Of Heaven's Luck


Delayed Gratification Records // Hardcore

Blackened hardcore from Ohio with a bit of melodic death metal sprinkled into the mix. This is the band's debut after a series of demos and a split. Really fun stuff considering I'm not that much into hardcore stuff, or at least not as much as the days of Strife, Madball, Biohazard and all that, but this one kinda put me back in the mood. First two tracks are really good.

Highlight: Temple of the Worm

https://rejoiceohio.bandcamp.com/album/all-of-heavens-luck
13UnLearn the World
The God That Sins


UnLearn The World LLC. // Hip Hop

Is Hip Hop gonna be my revelation genre this year? Well this is the second hip hop album I'm really enjoying in only the first week of releases this year. Weird. Eastern Hip Hop this time, from this 90s veteran NYC producer and rapper. The list of features on this album will give you shivers, including names like Ghostface Killah, Royce Da 5'9 and Benny The Butcher.

https://unlearntheworld.bandcamp.com/album/the-god-that-sins

Highlight: God's Favorite
14Narbeleth
A Pale Crown


Folter Records // Black Metal

Black metal from Cuba. Ok, I'm sure this is a first for me. Narbeleth are a black metal duo from La Habana that are currently based in northern Spain. Funny enough these guys sound more Norwegian BM than any Norwegian BM band I've heard in recent years. If they are aiming to reproduce verbatim the sounds of the second wave I'd say they achieve that without reinventing the wheel. It's a safe bet if what you're looking for it's unadultered black metal in the ways of old.

Highlight: To Step Beyond the Veil

https://folterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-pale-crown
15One-Eyed Monsters
Ambrosia


Mystery Shop Records // Stoner Rock / Psychedelic Rock

Surprisingly enjoyable stoner rock record with a bit of psychedelia infused into the mix, and I say surprisingly enjoyable cause the other stoner records I've heard this week they were all... of debatable quality. This one manages to grab you with enticing melodies and rich instrumentation (percussion, hammond, all those psyche things). Vocals are doubled and shared between the two guitar players which also gives it an interesting character. It's only 34 minutes long so worth a quick check if you're in the mood for pothead rock.

Highlight: Laden Sky

https://one-eyedmonsters.bandcamp.com/album/ambrosia
16Cancer Christ
God is Violence


Seeing Red Records / Sweatband Records // Groove Metal / Grindcore / Hardcore Punk / Thrash

Shock hardcore band led by a bloody Christ impersonator that goes by the name of Saint Anthony, who's credited in their bandcamp page as "vocals, flamethrower", and a bunch of "snakes" that act as the nameless ghouls would do in Ghost. Actually, this all looks too familiar. Music wise this is very reminiscent of good ol' Suicidal Tendencies, Municipal Waste being taken to histrionic levels of violence and nihilism. It's not bad, it's not great either, but it's definitely worth a check.

Highlight: Satan is a Bitch

https://cancerchrist.bandcamp.com/album/god-is-violence
17Krvna
The Rhythmus Of Death Eternal


Zazen Sounds / Brilliant Emperor / Third Eye Temple // Black Metal

I was looking forward to this one. Big fan of "For Thine Is the Kingdom of the Flesh" which they released almost at the end of 2022 and like almost all things in December it didn't get as much attention as I wanted to give it. This new release is an EP but it rounds up at 30 minutes so there's plenty of material here. After a first listen, and having jammed the two singles they had out for the last week, I gotta say this is not as good as their 2022 album, save for the closer which is magnifique (because it's a Bathory cover, dewi, you fucking idiot)! It kinda loses itself in a constant assault of blast beats and trems with unrelenting screaming and there's practically no respite and the melodic side of it gets lost in the maelstrom making it quite difficult to grasp. Lovely artwork though.

Highlight: Man of Iron (Bathory cover)

https://krvna.bandcamp.com/album/the-rhythmus-of-death-eternal
18L'Ame Immortelle
Ungelebte Leben


Napalm Records / Trisol Music Group // Gothic Industrial / Darkwave

Threw this one on to have some variety among the metal. Veteran Austrian darkwave and industrial band from the 90s who peaked in the 00s and that are somehow still kicking. The album is alright for the most part, but some tracks are an absolute calvary to get through ("Regret", "Push", "Own Ways"), partly due to Sonja Kraushofer's vocal delivery. I'd say there's way better darkwave out there if you need a fix but if you're really curious and in the mood for some gothic mellowed industrial with an accented millenial flavour go for it.

Highlight: Was wäre, wenn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifC6Fp6gIVI&ab_channel=TrisolMusicGroup
19Pile
Hot Air Balloon


Exploding In Sound Records / Slowcore / Indie Rock

The only album I ever heard of Pile might have been "Green and Gray" back in 2019 and I remember not liking it so my expectations going into this were quite low. At the same time I didn't want to resort to more black metal (there'll be plenty of time for that), so a new EP sounded like a perfect occassion to give this band another shot. Honestly, I liked it more than I thought I would. Very interesting compositions and songwriting, resourceful production and overall a good, properly brief time. The vocals might be the weakest point for me, and I'm sure the band would sound drastically different with a singer that didn't sound so... average.

Highlight: Exits Blocked

https://pile.bandcamp.com/album/hot-air-balloon-ep
20Hauntologist
Hollow


Self released // Experimental Black Metal

Remember when I said no more black metal today? Well I couldn't let this one pass. New (?) project from Darkside (drummer of Mgla) and The Fall (Owl Woods Graves, Over The Voids) on bass, guitars and vocals. Pretty interesting take on Polish black metal. Does it sound like Mgla? well, M. from Mgla produced it or is involved in some manner, so it definitely has the essence, but expect the unexpected. All I'll say is that it's among my favorites of this week.

Highlight: Deathdreamer

https://hauntologist.bandcamp.com/album/hollow
21Gray State
Under the Wheels of Progress


Ganet Records // The Upcoming Strife // Hardcore

Between this, Rejoice, Svdestada and Cancer Christ, hardcore and adjacent fans should be more than satisfied to have all this dropped on the first ten days of the year. Gray State are a straight edge hardcore band from Finland, anchored in the 90s, but with one foot on melodeath. The album sounds great and the cover artwork, originally done by Jean Delville in the 40s and titled "The Wheel of the World" fits the music perfectly. There features from Ulla Ahola (I think a member of Finnish hardcore punk band M.O.R.A.) and a couple of other names I know... nothing about (shrug).

Highlight: Bound to Burn + Flames of Efficiency (great intro + opener combo)

https://graystatehc.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-wheels-of-progress
22Loveblaster
The Way Things Works


Self released // Slowcore

First of all, I'm surprised how good this sounds for a self-produced album. Loveblaster are a three piece from Wisconsin that know how to use pauses, silence and softness. I'm not completely sure but I think this is their first full length after releasing a few scattered singles. The whole thing is very subtle, with vocals being harmonized almost all the time by both male and female vocalists. The balance leans towards the male vocals though and I would have preferred more emphasis on the approach they take on the beginning of "The Need to Fail", so the songs would differentiate a bit more, but it's still a pretty good slowcore record, even for someone that is not too big on slowcore like myself.

Highlight: The Need to Fail

https://loveblaster.bandcamp.com/album/the-way-things-work-2
23Nimeton Hauta
Pimeyteen Laskee Joki


Self released // Atmospheric Black Metal

Nimetön Hauta (Nameless Tomb) is a one man black metal project from... you guessed that right, Finland! I don't know what's going on in that country but artists are relentlessly pouring out music and practically everything is quality, especially on the metal realm. This album is pretty tame, in the vein of Drudkh or even more gentle, drawing heavily from nature themes and introducing some folk elements too. I don't see myself returning to this very often, but considering the time of the year, it's a good wintery forest jam if you'd ever need one. The cover doesn't lie.

Highlight: Luutarhan kivet

https://nimetonhauta.bandcamp.com/album/pimeyteen-laskee-joki
24Gumshoes
Cacophony


Self released // Bedroom Pop

This was quite underwhelming the first time I checked what was it all about, so I just forgot about it until anat reviewed it today. I decided to give it a proper listen and yeah, this is actually fun and pretty easy to listen to. It does enough to keep your atention, it is silly but also smart, and it sounds just as it should. If bedroom pop that doesn't take itself too serious is for you, give this one a whirl.

Highlight: The Real Thing

https://gumshoes.bandcamp.com/album/cacophony
25Yersin
The Scythe Is Remorseless


Trepanation Recordings // Crust Punk / Hardcore / Death Metal

And we finish the week with an album released just yesterday. Pretty heavy crust punk with some death metal influence from this British trio. I think this is their sophomore record since their 2020 debut. It's absolutely soul crushing, big, big breakdowns, plenty of d-beat and Entombed worshipping guitar tones. It's also pretty short, I think it even counts as an EP, although RYM has it as a full length. In any case, get on it.

Highlight: Lust For Crust

https://yersinofficial.bandcamp.com/album/the-scythe-is-remorseless
26Sprints
Letter to Self


THOUGHTS:
Well this week is usually very dry and this year was no different, we didn't have a Mechina album to start the year properly and that almost ruins everything. Listening to five albums a day hasn't been hard so far, it was actually pretty enjoyable and it made me step out of my comfort zone. Some of my favorite albums this week were either Hip Hop or Hardcore, which took my by surprise. Definitely enjoyed the searching for new releases and the research for every artist more than anything and I even had plenty of spare time to jam the albums I liked more than once and continuing my trip through the 60s.

CHANGES:
- I decided to recover the name of series I did circa 2017 or so. Papa Uni and Divaman used to contribute heavily with recs so this is in their memory.
- And this means these lists will be weekly instead of monthly cause otherwise they would be a slog to read. So see you tomorrow on a new list!
27Sprints
Letter to Self


********************************************************
TOP 10 OF THE WEEK

1. Sprints - Letter to Self
2. Hauntologist - Hollow
3. UnLearn the World - The God That Sins
4. Rejoice - All Of Heaven's Luck
5. Panzerwar - Pale Whispers Of A Writhing Moon
6. Diabolic Oath / Aberration - Divinations (Split)
7. The Game & Big Hit - Paisley Dreams
8. Gumshoes - Cacophony
9. Svdestada - Candela
10. Loveblaster - The Way Things Work

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